In a tape loading mechanism for recording and/or playback equipment in which a magnetic tape is drawn from a cassette to be wound around a cylinder having a head at a predetermined angle, an elongated member for moving drawing members to draw the magnetic tape from the cassette is disposed and extends in a space between a rotating shaft of a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder identical with a rotational shaft of the cylinder motor and a capstan motor for rotating a capstan shaft identical with the capstan shaft which feeds the magnetic tape together with a pinch roller.